Profile
As a black model graced down the runway in a blatantly white, loose, cocoon-like wrapping with an oversized hood at London’s Fashion Fringe 2007, anyone would agree that nothing could be more exciting than the coupling of Marcus Wilmont and Maki Aminaka (Lofvander).
He is from Denmark: she, from Sweden. He studied menswear at Central St. Martins and then the Royal College of Art. She studied womenswear at Sweden’s University College of Boras. He worked under the likes of Antonio Berardi and Bouddica: she, under Clare Tough, Ann-Sofie Back and Sophia Malig. And, it was in 2006, at Robert Cary-Williams’ that they met and morphed into Aminaka Wilmont. It might not be love at first sight but surely —and almost literally— the marriage of true minds. What’s the proof? The Fashion Fringe 2007 trophy handed over to the duo designers by Tom Ford – along with some other things like studio space, public relations, business and legal support and exhibition space at Paris Fashion Week.
Avant-garde shapes and innovative use of fabrics are the essence of Aminaka Wilmont design. The duo compromise soft drapes with hard tailoring, marry androgynous concepts with sleek sensuality and, in the process, edge up the use of traditional fabrics and leather. Results? Their collections are fierce and powerful, eccentric and futuristic.
Inspired by Tron, a rather long-forgotten, sci-fi Disney cult film, Aminaka Wilmont’s A/W 08-09 collection, Vector XXY, not only revives the outta space fantasy of the 80s but also makes it ultra-chic and wearable. Linear vector computer graphics accentuate the simple and relaxed silhouette. There are silk dresses, catsuits, leather jackets with angular shoulder pads, slim trousers with ballooned-out pockets, leather skull caps and theatrical plastic headwear. All are showcased in monochromes of white, black, grey and red.
Aminaka Wilmont’s united vision of futurism is further developed in the S/S 2009 collection where ideal femininity meets architectural design and prints. Though it is the pun-intended, sole-less shoes that spark controversy, the London-based design duo will never fail to impress.
Insight
SS: Describe the first item you bought that you considered to be a 'fashion piece'. Does it still mean a lot to you now as back then and in what way?
Maki Aminaka: The first real fashion item that I bought was from Robert Cary-Williams and it was a deconstructed slip dress. It marked, what I at that time, felt was the beginning of my career in fashion, as he had just hired me to be his Studio Manager and it was my first significant high fashion job after moving to London. In many respects the dress symbolized the culmination of many years of ambition, hard work and the feeling of breaking loose from the confines of Sweden- where I worked before, but always felt was too constricted and conservative for where I wanted to take my creativity. I had a large part in the development of this particular dress and Robert always joked that he had made it for me anyway.
It has been hanging in the closet for a while but it still serves as a gentle reminder of how far I have come and how dreams and wishful thinking can come true - with an added dose of many late late nights and lots of hard work.